Regulatory cytokines in the lymphatic pathology of athymic mice infected with Brugia malayi

To investigate whether Brugia malayi-induced lymphatic inflammation is due to production of proinflammatory cytokines, we determined the lymph and serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) using enzyme immunoassays. Serum from normal and infected mice did not show elevated cytokine concentrations, Samples of lymph from parasitized lymphatics had significantly increased levels of IL-1 (range = 6-1620 pg/ml), IL-6 (19-17800 pg/ml), TNF-alpha (19-2000 pg/ml) and GM-CSF (4-275 pg/ml). The anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 (7-12 pg/ml) was in the normal range and no increase in interferon (INF)-gamma was detected in lymph samples. The data suggest that increased levels of mediators or cytokines localized in the lymphatics may be important contributors to massive lymphatic dilation and inflammation. Copyright (C) 1996 Australian Society for Parasitology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.